First, be sure to check out these bloggers who are leaving the field (though not leaving ministry).  There’s a lot of great stuff on their blogs, so head on over to:

• Copeland Ramblings (don’t miss Reflections from the kitchen sink…)
• Mercy Watch

In other news, check out this ecclectic group of posts from veteran bloggers around the world…

• El Peñol de Guatapé (Columbia) – An amazing rock, and some amazing history
• Guarding sound doctrine without hurting people (Mexico) – a teacher’s quandry
• PRAY FOR GABRIEL MUGISHA (Rwanda) – Faith and Prayer
• From death to life. (Burkina Faso) – Do you think God was involved?
• Speaking the Truth (Papua New Guinea) – What do you know about the Sursurunga people?  They might be more like you than you think…

Thanks to these bloggers who have faithfully shared with us over the years!

• What happens when a 4 year old finds a tarantula on the wall… (Ecuador)
• A birthday party in South Africa
• An upcoming women’s conference, Being a Mother, a challenging reward (Mexico)
• Working with pastors and their kids – no fighting over the toys, please… (Guatemala)
• It’s not easy going to school that isn’t in your mother tongue – read about Eliza’s first day (Thailand)
• Travelling in your "home country" as a kid can be hard – just ask Micah. (Kenya)
• You never know what some missionaries are in need of until you ask.  How about cloth diapers (Russia)?
• Pray for what’s-his-name and his Mom… (Rwanda)
• And what better note to end on — Daughters are a Gift of Love (Chile)

Boy in Rwanda

In the past I’ve posted about posts based on cool pictures – ones that caught my attention.

This time I ignored content altogether – at least to start with – and just looked for titles that caught my attention.

You know, other than "Our May Newsletter".  Or "Even more photos of our trip".  Or my favourite, "(no title)" (that’s what shows up in my rss feed reader when you don’t bother to put a title).

No, these titles caught my attention – and it turns out that people who write good titles tend to write good posts too!

For example, who could resist a missionary blog post about Tap Dancing (Kenya)?  Or how about the tantalizing Catching Creatures on Camera! (Columbia).

New Bible Study and Peter Pan! (Indonesia) brings us even more creatures among other things.  Mixing together topics that don’t usually go together makes an interesting title – though it’s not great blogging practice!

Everyone loves to share an opinion, right?  So that’s why I clicked on Input Requested (Indonesia).

And of course there’s always the finish-the-sentence posts, like A Garbage Can Full (of what?!) (Rwanda), and Take this hot chocolate and (and what?!) from France.

How about a shocker like Before Wii (Venezuela).  There was something before Wii??

All right, I’d better get this post done – here are a few more that caught my eye…

• Become Nothing (Niger)
• I miss being sick… (Japan)
• Battling bats, and Romantic Roaches (Uganda)
• "Gossip" …or perhaps ~ (Niger)
• The "God-Father" (Peru)
• 3 lines, 5 guys, 17 syllables, and a billion diapers (Tanzania)
• In Which I Prove We Will Acheive [sic] FTL Speeds by 2050 (Thailand)
• The Biggest Holiday of the Year (Peru)
• Note to self: remember to appreciate these things (for more than a day!) when I get back to the UK… (Thailand)

Which is your favourite title?

And now let’s talk about houses.  First, there’s the joy of House-hunting in Congo.  Do you think this house will do?

And after you’ve found a house, there’s work to be done – here’s a video: An Update on our House in Mexico.  Oh, and just for fun – the installation of a shower curtain in Rwanda.

A good reminder out of Peru – Safety Zone.

Finally, how about some kids – birthdays (Ecuador), life in Niger, and kids hanging out at the house (Romania).

It’s time to congratulate those who have completed 5 years of blogging!  5 years is still a good old age for a blog – in fact, these blogs are still older than this site (which started in 2005).

I’ve done this in the past, but I’m not sure if I’ll do it again – the more time goes by the more blogs are celebrating!  But here it is, at least one more time – Happy Blogoversary!

• Adventures With God serving in South Africa
• Musings of a Missionary serving in Thailand
• The Boyds to Columbia serving in Columbia (their former blog is here)
• The Kautz Family serving in Columbia
• Itsara serving in Thailand
• Always an Adventure… serving in Taiwan
• Coxes Quarterly serving in Germany
• les Davey de France serving in France
• Simplicity serving in Taiwan
• Under the acacias serving in Burkina Faso
• Life of a Steward serving in the United Kingdom
• The Ramblings of Norm and Debra Copeland serving in Guinea/Senegal
• Kingsley Clan serving in Ireland
• Into Rwanda serving in Rwanda
• Ramble Zone serving in Guatemala (AAAHHH!  They’re having a baby right now!)
• Kurt, Johanna, Kassia and Luke Metzger serving in Papua New Guinea
• Reflections of Refinement serving in Japan
• garcias2chile serving in Chile
• The Roe’s Garden serving in Germany
• Nanana serving in Mexico
• The Journey serving in the Netherlands
• The Naine’s Cameroon Adventure serving in Cameroon

Drinking coffee in Sudan
Photo courtesy of joodmc

Food, drink, Christmas outreaches, flashlights… quite a variety today from our bloggers.  I don’t know what it is, but the posts seem to be getting more and more interesting – check out this eclectic set from recent days…

• Zillions of Cookies in Russia: Don’t you love this kind of outreach?
• The difference between the statistics of Christians worldwide and the reality – talking about syncretism in Swaziland.
• Hate to say it, but these kids are Not Future Missionaries in the Philippines
• Let’s head over to Rwanda to see A Batwa Christmas, and why it was extra special this year.
• While we’re in Africa, let’s stop for a Coffebreak – Sudanese Style (in Sudan of course) before continuing.
• On with our travelling, to see Jacmel… beautiful place with beautiful people in Haiti.
• Around the House and Around the Neighborhood in Mexico.  Ice skating and riot police?
• So you’re a techy interested in missions?  Check out this amazing Reliable Solar Powered Light from these folks heading to Kenya.
• Just for fun, check out these International Nativity Scenes from Thom in Senegal.
• One of the world’s most amazing delicacies right here – Balut–something to try at least once (the Philippines)

How about some bugs? God got really creative when He made bugs, and most of us have only seen a handful of what’s out there.  Some of us are glad we’ve only seen a handful.  But for those who want to see more…

First, video blogging has come to Bolivia, and the star is a very weird stinging caterpillar.  And, head on over to Jessica’s bathroom to see her green friend.  And remember the spider she saw a few weeks ago?  Then read about one creepy crawly in the Dominican Republic.  Find out what the Burns are sharing their house with.

Finally, read about what they’re *gulp* eating in Rwanda.

By the way, the photo above is of an African grass hopper.